exculpatory.

Tending to clear someone from blame, a charge or liability.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• exculpatory evidence
• exculpatory explanation

On the page

The exculpatory evidence contradicted a central part of the accusation.

The explanation was potentially exculpatory but required independent checking.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Relational or evaluative adjective; degree comparison is appropriate only where the relevant characteristic is genuinely gradable. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: responsibility analysis, evidence qualification, ethical distinction, institutional judgment. Disciplines: academic writing, ethics, legal-administrative reasoning. Commonness: uncommon.